The best beauty Advent calendars in the UK in 2026, tested – from bargain buys to cult favourites
Christmas is getting closer, and this year’s calendars are already on sale. We tested the biggest releases to find the ones worth buying, including cruelty-free picks• Don’t get the Filter delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereChristmas might feel like an…
A good friend brings her dogs when she stays with me. I kind of dread it. What can I do? | Leading questions
People often forget social rules when dogs are involved, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. But you’ll have to say something if you want things to changeRead more Leading questionsA good friend of mine stays with me regularly when she comes…
‘It’s not about sex but empowerment’: why I picked a ‘naked’ frock as dress of the year
Sarah Burton’s sporty, daffodil mesh dress made me smile. But the reason I chose it for Fashion Museum Bath is because it tells the story of our times, when bodies are more political than everOne morning in February this year, I opened my laptop to find…
The dreadful decline of hosting at home: ‘I feel shame any time a friend comes over’
It used to be quite normal to pop next door for a coffee or invite friends over for dinner. But not any more. What’s behind this change – and just how damaging is it?‘I really loved hosting at home years ago, before I had kids, when my house wasn’t…
Contact review – Jonny Donahoe delivers a heated reunion at a bonfire of family photos
Òran Mór, GlasgowBlythe Duff and Mark Barrett are excellent as two people helplessly bound to each other in this bitter two-handerThe arrival of a first baby changes everything. It is not just the upheaval of fitting the child into your life: the shift…
From Bentley Pauncefoot to Yetts O’Muckhart, I’m obsessed with Britain’s weirdly named villages | Adrian Chiles
I was stuck in traffic when a road sign set me dreaming. If the places on it were people, what would they be like? Could Leigh Delamere be anything but the glamorous heiress to a biscuit-making fortune?Stuck in traffic in the Wiltshire town of…
Put down the pumpkin! How to create a cosy home this autumn – without the cliches
From tactile textures to softer lighting, these expert-approved updates bring all the warmth of autumn while steering clear of Sleepy Hollow vibes• Professional organisers’ tips for a tidy homeAfter a long, hot summer, the autumn chill is creeping in…
Halloween is looming – this year, I’m ditching my cynicism and getting busy with the pumpkins | Iman Amrani
From Day of the Dead to Samhain, celebrating autumn is centuries old. Now, I want this to be a moment of magic and connection for my kidsDarker nights are drawing in, there’s a hint of a chill in the air and the supermarket’s seasonal aisles are groaning…
‘Green, red, yellow, blue’? Beneath the surface, diaspora language is anything but Black and white
Black communities across the globe have large and complex vocabularies to describe race, shaped by their specific cultures and historiesDon’t get The Long Wave delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereOne thing you might not know about this newsletter is how…
Jess Cartner-Morley on fashion: how to wear a leather jacket so it doesn’t wear you
There’s a lot of Brando badboy baggage attached to this classic outerwear – here’s how to look chic rather than stompyIn lots of ways, the arrival of autumn makes getting dressed easier. Not having to shave above your knees. Enough pockets to make a…